Swedish politicians in meeting with Snowden
Three Swedish MPs met NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in Moscow on Friday. The conversation was about Snowden's views on mass surveillance, reports SVT News.
The three MPs, Matthias Sundin (FP), Jakop Dalunde (MP) and Cecilia Magnusson (M) met Snowden during a two-hour meeting at a secret location in Moscow.
The meeting was organized by the Right Livelihood Award Foundation and their representatives Ole von Uexkull, who filmed the meeting for SVT News.
"I was invited by the Right Livelihood Foundation and for me it was natural to say yes," says Matthias Sundin (FP) to SVT News.
Edward Snowden has been in Moscow for almost two years and Russian authorities have given him a temporary residence permit. His homeland, the United States, has withdrawn his passport and if Snowden returns, he faces an indictment for espionage.
Sundin, Dalunde and Magnusson say they informed their respective party leaders of the visit, and despite Snowden being wanted by the United States, say the visit was justified.
"We discussed his trip and he gave us a nuanced story about how mass surveillance works and what does not. He also gave us his views on what is effective counter-terrorism and what is not", says Jakop Dalunde (MP) to SVT News.
They also discussed the reasoning and deliberation behind Snowden's decision to leak details of the NSA's data collection programme.
"It was interesting to hear how purposeful and deliberate he acted before the revelations. I'm impressed by his courage," says Jakop Dalunde (MP).
